THE UNEMPLOYED.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 19 May 1928, Page 3

THE UNEMPLOYED.

HOSPITAL BOARD RELIEF. WORK IN RETURN OBJECTED TO. [by TELEGRAPH—press association.] CHRISTCHURCH, May 16. A meeting of 60 unemployed men today carried a motion of protest against the “illegal and unconstitutional practice of the North Canterbury Hospital Board” in compelling able-bodied applicants for relief to do certain work in return. The men further declared that the unemployed would refuse any such work. The Mayor of Christchurch Rev. A. K. Archer) who was present, said that the decision that able-bodied men should give work in return for relief was the decision of the Department in Wellington which was supported by the Hospital Board. .. He advised the unemployed to get such help as they could out of the system until they had the ability to change it. Mr Armstrong, M.P., advised the men to stop quibbling. “If 1 were a working man, much as I would detest its system of relief, if I had four or live children I would sooner work tor the Hospital Board any day than let my family starve.” The Mayor had proposed that as a part of the jubilee celebrations a free dinner should be given to the unemployed to-clay, but the unemployed, waiting upon Mr Archer, declared that such a dinner would only be a parade of their humiliation, and that they uould feel they were being .patronised. They would prefer, they said, to have the equivalent of the dinner in cash or work. Mr Archer thereupon announced that he would not proceed with the scheme.